Apparatus and method for expressing fluid



s. HlLLEE Ax.'v APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR EXPRESSING FLUlD March W39.

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Filed Octl. 21, 1953 13 Sheets-Sheet l Nm. MNM WQ $2 Kw NAN Q s HILLER ET AL .ffwj

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR EXFARESSNG FLUD Filed oct. 21, w55 15 meets-shed@ March 7, i939.

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S HlLLER ET AL.

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR EXPRESSING FLUID www March 7, i939.

Filed oct. 21, 1953 13 sneetsneet e March 7, QSQ. s. HILLER ET A1.

APPARATUS AND METHOD ma EXPRESSING mum www Filed OCL. 2l, 1933 1.5 Sheets-Sheet '7 arch 7, 1939. A s HiLLER ET AL 2,149,735 APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR EXPRESsNG FLUUJ Filed Oct. 21, 1933 13 SheeS--SheeI BA mth 7, i939.

s. MILLER ET Al.

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR EXPRESSING FLUID Filed om. 21, 1953 15 sh'egts-sheefs TNW . IN V EN TORS STA /v LEY /7'/LLE,z BY H0 WA iep /V// fc/fffe A TTURNEY MJES amb 7, w39- s. HlLLr-:R ET AL PVARATUS AND METHOD VOR YXPRSSING FLUID Filed OCL. 2l. 1935 13 Sheets-Sheet ll INVENTORS TA/v/ EY //L L ER BY HOWARD A /V/BEc/ff@ ATTORNEY March 7, 1939. s. HILLER ET A1.

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR ['XPRESSNG FLUD Filed oct. 21,1933

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S HILLER ET AL.

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR EXPRESSING FLUID Filed Oct. 21, 1933 agg 13 Sheets-Shea t 13 BY M4 @lf/b ATTORNEY Patent i* press for pressing out fats and/or oils trom fatty materials, such as cotton seed, copra., fi',-

meal. oial and nuts.

An important object of our invention is the provision of a press and method for expressing fluid which will, in comparison with previously employed presses and methods, eect a higher leaving only Y oil or fat in ercen the resulting cae or meal.

Another object of our i entlon is the provision of a press and metido for/expr Huid, which will enable ecco plisl'iment oi the foregoing described object ud. will enable hang of the material rapidity, to provide for increase in capacity of the press per unit oi me in conipan'son with presses/heretofore employed.

Another object o. our invention is the provision of a press anti method which will form a comparatively thiol: discharge caire.

Another object Io our invention is the provin sion oi a press and method lwhich will eect ein pressing of finiti` from most materials without requiring a tempering apparatus for rst processing the materiali to thus enable untreated or cold raw materiali its natural state oi viscosity to be handlecidi tlv by the press.

AnotherIv ole ect of our invention is the provision oi a press and method which, with respect to certain classes of materials such as cotton seed meats and soya been, requiring some sort ci processing before unal expulsion of the uid in the main pressing operation, will enable such processing to be materially simplied so as to necessitate only slight cooking of the material in the processing.

Another object of our invention is the provision of a press apparatus which is of comparatively simple construction and, consequently, is eco-s nomicai to build.

Another object of our invention is the provision of a press construction which is ol such char acter as to enable facile assembly of the parts, and facile disassembly thereof for replacement, cleaning or repair when so desired. The press L, embodies numerous structural features for accomplishing this described object. Such features will be referred to more particularly in the description of the invention.

Another object of our invention is the provision ot a high pressure press in winch pressure acts 2E., 19339 im. toenam ,isili of uf ui N- amignors to Stanley cisco, .t s comme ,il No. 6%,583

upon the material substantially throughout the entire length of the press cage assembly.

Another object of our invention is the provision oi a press which creates such high pressure as to cause a deleterious change in the material, suoli as scorching or burning, if the material is not cooled, together with means for circulating a cooling uicl entirely through the press to prevent such deleterious change and to maintain a relatively high viscosity of the material.

Another object of our invention is the provision of structural features, hereinafter referred to more particularly in the specification, to enable the press to withstand such. high pressure.

mother object ol our invention is the provision 0i a press having means for providing maximum transference ol heat from the material being pressed to the cooling iiuicl.

.Another object of our invention is the provision of a press cage construction which will oier substantially no obstruction to the now of expressed uid therefrom.

Another object of our invention is the provision of e. press having knife oars to prevent turning oi the material by the screw pressure applying means, together with improved means for rigidly clamping the lmife bars.

Another object ci our invention is the provision of a press having a discharge cone arrangement oi suoli character, as to enable any oil or fat expressed at the cone to discharge from the press proper.

Another object of our invention is the provision of an improved type of screen bar assembly in the press.

Another object of our invention is the provision oi press having comparatively widely spaced screw iights providing friction areas therebetween, to enhance building up of pressure.

Another object oi our invention is the provision of a press employing screw nights having a special pitch and root diameter relationship, to eect cling up of pressure.

Another object of our invention is the provision oi means. preferably in the form of internal cones or dam rings, in one or more of such friction areas to provide for restriction of flow or jamming of the material, to thereby enhance further the maintenance of pressure throughout the entire length of the press.

Another object of our invention is the provision of feed means for the press proper or main press, which will effect e. preliminary expressing of fluid to provide for increased main press capacity.

Another object oi our invention is the provision of feed means or a feed press, of the character described, which can be operated at various speeds relative to the main press, to control pressure conditions in the main press.

A further object of our invention is the provision of a comparatively simple and easy to emble screen bar assembly in the feed press.

An additional object of our invention is the provision of a press apparatus of such ple construction as to enable transportation thereof on a vehicle, so that the apparatus can be operated at different localities.

The invention possesses numerous other 0bjects, which will become apparent from a perusal of the following description of the invention.

General description of invention In general terms, the method of our invention is one which comprises applying such. pressure on the material as to cause duid in the form of oil or fat to be substantially completely expressed therefrom with little or no previous processing of the material by heat. The pressure is so great as to cause normally a. deleterious eil'ect on the material such as scorching or lo or even a chemical change derogatory to uld expulsion. To prevent the scorching, b and/or chemical change, and at the same time to maintain a relatively high viscosity of the material, so as to enhance maintenance of pressure, the material is simultaneously cooled by a cooling fluid as pressure is applied thereto.

For carrying out the method of our invention, we preferably employ a main'rotary screw press of the continuous type, in which pressure is maintained substantially throughout the entire length of the press. This is accomplished primarily by virtually providing apiurality of independent main press sections forming a unitary press structure; each of the press sections comprising a screw flight followed by a relatively long blank space or friction area. Thus, the main press comprises a plurality of separated screw flights having relatively long blank spaces between the screw ights. Knife bars project into the blank spaces to prevent turning of the material by the screw means. To enhance further the building up of pressure, the screw ights are constructed to decrease in pitch and increase in root diameter from the feed end of the press to the discharge end; and damming means or internal cones are provided in some of the blank spaces to restrict partially the flow of material.

Because of the fact that the volume of material becomes smaller as it travels from the feed end of the press to the discharge end, as a result of loss of fluid, the blank spaces, from the feed end of the press to the discharge end, are oi progressively smaller volume' to compensate for reduction in volume of the material. Hence, the material is always compacted in the blank spaces to provide for sumcient development of pressure to cause expressing of uid along the entire length of the press. The method of our invention, therefore, also involves compensating for decrease in volume of the material caused by expressing of fluid therefrom.

Cooling of the material is enected in the main press by passage of cooling uid, such as water, throughout the entire length of the main press shaft assembly which includes sleeves upon which the screw flights are integrally formed. The sleeves have internal portions, spaced from the main shaft and formed with cooling ns which are contacted by the cooling uid, to provide for amores rapid transference of heat from the material to the cooling fluid.

As the main press develops a terrically high pressure, the screw night sleeves are preferably secured to the main shaft by splines, so as to some of the forces imposed on the main shaft, thus allowing a comparatively small diameter shaft without sacrince of strength. Fur thermore, adjacent sleeves are telescopically connected by a male and female joint connection, to provide a tight, serviceable and leakproof joint; and a special discharge cone structure is utilized to place the point of expulsion of uid at the discharge cone Well within the press to avoid loss of duid.

.il feed press is employed for the main press which, in addition to supplying material to the main press, eiects a partial expressing of uid to increase the capacity of the main press and partially to compress the material for the main press. Preferably, the feed press is operated by a variable speed driving mechanism, the speed of which can be controlled to suit operating conditions which might obtain in the main press.

Numerous particular features of construction are employed in the press apparatus for the twofold purpose of providing a strong structure capable of withstanding terriiically high pressure, and of providing for quick assembly and disassembly of the parts. Also, we provide novel screen and knife bar arrangements. It is thought unnecessary to describe such features in greater detail at this time, as they will be thoroughly described as the specication proceeds.

Description of drawings Reference will now be made to the drawings for a more detailed description of the invention.

Fig. l is a side elevational view of the press apparatus of our invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of the press apparatus, parts of the structure being shown in elevation. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of the feed press housing or casting, which casting also provides a. support for one end of the main press.

Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the feed press casting, looking in the direction of arrow 4l in Figs. 2 and 3.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to that of Fig. 3, illustrating in addition the mounting of screen bars in the feed press and the attachment of the feed end of the main press.

Fig. 6 ls a horizontal section taken in a plane indicated by line ont of Fig'. 5.

Fig. 'l is a horizontal section taken in a plane indicated by line 'i--l of Fig. 1,

Fig. 8 is an elevational view, illustrating one of the semi-circular screen bar assemblies for the feed press.

Fig. 9 is a front elevation of one of the vertical screen positioning and knife holding bars employed in the feed press.

Fig. 10 is a vertical sectional view, partly in elevation, of the feed screw and the hopper screw assembly for the feed press.

Fig. ll is a fragmentary sectional view taken in a plane indicated by line li--Ii of Fig. 5.

Fig, 12 is a schematic View, illustrating the screw flight arrangement of the main press screw and the friction areas between the screw flights, together with the dam rings, for building up extremely high pressure.

,scarse Fig. 13 is a side elevational view of one of the arcuate mein press cage sections.

Fig. 14 is an end elevation looming in the direction of arrow it in Fig, 13.

Fig. 15 is a vertical transverse section taken in a plane indicated by line it--l of 13 Fig. 16 is a fragmentary horizontal section taisen in a plane indicated by line lt-l of 13.

Fig. 17 is a side elevation of the bolt carrier, by which the main press cage sections can be quickly secured together.

Fig. 18 is an end elevation ci the er of Fig. 17, looking in the direction of arrow i3 in Fig. 17.

Fig. 19 is an exploded view. illustrating the main press cage, screen bar. knife bar, screw assembly.

Fig. 20 is a bottom elevational view ci a screen bar employed in the press assb y.

Fig. 21 is a bottom elevational view oi an end screen bar, only one of which is employed in each semicylindrical screen bar assembly for the main press.

Fig. 22 is a more or less schematic perspective view. illustrating a send-cylindrical press screen bar assembly.

Fig. 23 is a fntary transverse section taiten in a. plane indicated by line 23H23 of Fig. 22.

. Fig. 24 is a transverse section ci the rn press taken in a plane indicated by line @il-2d of Fig. 2. f

Fig, 25 is a. transverse section ci the main press taken in a. plane indicated by line id--Zt of Fig. 2.

' Fig. 26 is a fentary horizontal section, taken in a plane indicated byline d-tof Fig. 2, illustrating the manner of securing the' ends of the main press cage sections.

Fig, 27 is a perspective View oi the locking bar employed for securing the ends ci the main press cage sections.

Fig. 28 is a frntery longitudinal vertical section of the discharge end of the main press. illustrating the manner oi' mounting tnereoil and the discharge cone.

Fig. 29 is a fragmentary longitudinal vertical section of the feed end of the main press, illustrating the main press shaft mounting, the water collecting system and the drive iw* I for the main press shaft.

Fig. 30 is an elevational view of the main press shaft bearing employed at the feed end oi the press.

Fig. 31 is a transverse section taken in a plane indicated by line 3i-3l of Fig. 28.

Fig. 32 is a transverse section taken in a plane indicated by line {iii-32 of Fig, 29.

Fig. 83 is an elevational view. illustrating the construction oi the main press screw shalt.

Fig. 34 is a longitudinal vertical section, illustrating the screw flight sleeves on the shaft ci Fig. 33; the shalt being shown in elevation.

Fig. 35 is a transverse vertical section taken in a plane indicated by line 3l-iil of Fig. 3d.

Fig. 36 is a transverse vertical section taken in a plane indicated by line Sid- 3d of Fig. 3d.

Fig. 37 is a longitudinal vertical section through a portion of the main press shaft and adjacent screw sleeves on the shaft, illustrating the mann ner of conveying the cooling fluid. The section is taken in a plane indicated by line 3l-3l ci Fig. 35.

Fig. 38 is an elevational view illustrating the moun w. oi the press apparatus ci our invention on a vehicle. such as e. dat car.

Dar DESCRIPTION or INVENTION al assembly (Figs. 1 and 2) The press apparatus of our invention includes a main press i, mounted at one end on discharge end casting or support 2 and at the opposite end on the feed press casting or housing 3; the castings 2 and 3 being in. turn secured to the main supporting frame d adapted to hold a suitable container (not shown) for iiuid expressed by the press. An upright frame S is secured to the top of discharge end casting i, and supports one end of the motor support l; the opposite end of the motor support 'l being secured to horizontal bracm het plate d in turn secured at t to the inner side of i'eed hopper il. Hopper li is provided with annular hangs l2 at the bottom, which is bolted to the angecl top of the feed casting 3.

An adjustable speed motor i3 of any suitable type, on support l, drives the feed screw conveyor lf3 and. the feed press screw lli, through gear box il' also mounted on support l. The main press screw i8 is rotated by any suitable prime mover it. (Fig. l.)

Material. such as copra or other fat or oil containing material, to be pressed is placed in hopper il, from which it is fed into the feed press. An initial expulsion of duid occurs in the feed press; While the remainder ci. the material is caught by the main press screw which effects substantially complet-e expulsion of uid, leaving a substantially dry residue which is discharged from the main press. The press apparatus of my invention is capable of creating such high pressure as to make it unnecessary to apply a preliminary treatment to most materials to be pressed, suoli as a steam or a heat treatment heretofore em ployed for the purpose of enhancing expulsion oi fluid. The particular features of construction will now be described:

Feed press and hopper (Figs. 2 to 11) With particular reference to Fig. 3, the feed press housing is an ingral casting having the vertical passage 2l leading into the horizontal passage 22: the vertical passage being formed by spaced arcuate ribs 23 providing open spaces 2d therebetween, and. the bottom of the horizontal passage 2i being formed by spaced ribs 26 forming open spaces 2l therebetween. Base 28 ci the feed press housing is hollow and has a downwardly slanting upper wail 29 integral with vertical partition reenforcing wall 3i, which in turn is integral with ribs 2E to provide a rigid structure. Openings 32 are provided at the lower end oi wall i9, one on each side of partition Wall El, lor egress of fluid expelled from the feed press.

An annular bearing housing 33 is formed at the end of passage il! remote from the main press end of said passage. Inner vertical wall 313 of the housing 33 provides one of two spaced journals for the main press shaft bearing'to be subsequently described, and is provided with annular recess 35 for the reception of suitable packing material. Wall dit is spaced from a second Wall 3l providing a Second journal for the bearing. and is joined integrally with wall 3l by ribs 38. End Walls di of the casting 3 are substantially planar and terminate in upper annular flange t2, to which (Fig. 2) ange l2 of hopper ii is secured.

As was previously explained, feed housing 3 provides e. support for one end of the main press cage;

and the cage supporting end of the feed :re

is of a construction particularly designed to facilitate assembly of and disbly from 'the main press. The feed press inner end wall di is provided (Fig. 4) with two arcuate planar bosses 43 about passage 2 2, against which end ianges (to be subsequently described) of the n press cage sections are adapted to be secured. The bosses t3 are separated at both the top and bottom by vertical mortise slots @d having slanting sides diverging inwardly to allow the slots to receive a locking bar only by endwise insertion.

Arcuate screen bar assemblies are mounted in the feed press housing, two of the assemblies being mounted in vertical passage 2l, and the third assembly in horizontal passage 22 over ribs 2b. The screen bars are, preferably, oi the same construction as those employed in the main press and will, therefore, not he specically described at this time. As shown in Fig. 8, each of the arcuate feed press screen bar assemblies comprises a plurality of screen bars (i5 welded together along spaced points as indicated at it?. The bottom screen bar assembly over ribs Qd is held in position at one end by arcuate retaining member Q9 (Figs. 5 and 1l), the lower ends of which abut the top bars of the screen bar assembly. Retainer it is secured in a suitable arcuate recess bi (Fig. 3). One end (Fig. 5) of the bottom screen bar assembly abuts arcuate ange 52 on the feed housing; while the opposite end or' auch assembly abuts the removably secured arcuate clamping member 53, the top ends of which are coterminous with the tcp surfaces of the bottom screen bar assembly. A third arcuate retainer 5d opposite to the retainer i9 is removably secured to the feed housing, and has its lower ends abutting both the top bars of the bottom screen bar assembly and the upper ends of clamp 53. It is thus seen that the bottom screen bar assembly is rigidly held in position, and can be rapidly inserted or removed merely by manipulation of the removably secured arcuate retainers is and Sli, and arcuate clamping ring 53.

Each of the screen ber assemblies in vertical passage 2i has its outermost bars tis (Figs. 6 and 7) formed with sharp slanting sides adapted to abut complementary slanting aides bl (Fig. 9) of positioning bars 58. Two positioning bars are employed; each. being arcuate in cross section and being removably secured to an end wall (il of the feed housing. .es can be seen most clearly in Figs. 3 and 5, end walls di are aperturcd to receive screws 59 for securing the positioning bars; a portion of the end wall di adjacent the main press being countersunk at @il to receive the head of a screw, so as not to interfere with the mounting of the main press. An integral annular ange 62 is formed at the lower end of the passage 2i to provide an abutment for supporting the positioning bars 53.

From the preceding description, it is apparent that after the positioning bars 58 are mounted, each of the upper screen bar assemblies can be readily slipped into position by endwise insertion between the slanting sides El of the positioning bars. Because oi such sharp slanting sides, locking means is provided to preclude lateral shifting of the upper screen bar assemblies; and a rigid mounting obtains, inasmuch as flange l2 (Fig. 2) of the hopper serves to hold the upper screen bar assemblies rigidly against endwlse displacement.

Knife bars 63 are mounted on positioning bars 58 to cooperate with. a screw Bight in passage 2l, so as to prevent turning of material by the screw estarse ight. A wedge shaped slot tt (Fig. 9) is formed in both the upper and the lower end portion of each positioning bar 5d; and each knife bar 63 is formed with a. complementary wedge shaped base portion 63 (Fig. 7) adapted to iit in a slot Et by endwise insertion. In assembling the knife bars 63, the lower ones are rst placed in the lower slots tt of positioning bars 56, and bars 58 are then mounted on ange t2. After the positioning bars t! are secured to the feed housing, the upper knife bars t3 can then be inserted in the upper slots (i4.

Means (Figs. 2 and 1G) are provided for eliecting feeding of material into the feed press and for effecting expulsion of some fluid in the vertical feed press passage 2l. Shaft (il has welded thereto a sleeve bt having screw conveyor 69 welded thereon, which screw conveyor is adapted to feed material from hopper li into the feed press. Distributor arms il are also secured to sleeve tt at the top of screw 69; and a thrust bearing cage 'l2 has a lower sleeve portion l welded in between sleeve t8 and shaft (il. The upper end portion of shaft l is journaled in bearing le formed integral with bracket plate t; the lower end of bearing it providing an abutment for vertical thrust bearing 'it seated in bearing cage l2. An annular packing member ll is secured for rotation with bearing cage 12; and abuts the outer surface of bearing 'it to provide a. seal. Shaft El is connected for rotation from motor is by coupling 78. Since the sleeve 63, distributor arms ll, screw conveyor 69 and the bearing cage 'l2 are all secured to shaft (il, it is apparent that the entire assembly can be positioned as a unit, merely by endwise insertion of the upper end of shaft (il through bearing 'lll and by connection of shaft 6l with coupling '58.

Feed press screw body 'i9 (Fig. 10), which is rotatable in passage 2i of the feed press. is secured for rotation with shaft 6l', by means of keys 6l on the shaft engaging in suitable keyways in the body i9; body l@ being a single casting having the screw iilght 82 integral therewith. As can be seen from Fig. i0, screw body ls is clamped in position between the lower end of sleeve (i8 and a plate titl which is held by nut (ifi screwed onto shaft tl.

The upper knife bars 63 (Fig. 2) are adjacent the upper end of screw flight 82 and the lower knife bars (it are adjacent the lower end of screw Bight 82. Such knife bars effectively preclude turning of material in the feed press, to allow for positive pressure action for expulsion of fluid. Not only does the feed press provide for initial pressing out of fluid, but it insures material being fed to the main press under a comparatively high pressure, to enhance maximum expulsion of ud by the main press.

Main press cage assembly (Figs. 2, 5, 6 and 13 to 26) From the feed press, material is fed through the main press cage by means of screw means to be subsequently described. The main press cage is composed of a pair of similar cage sections, each of which (Figs. 13 through 16) comprises an arcuate casting 86. The casting terminates in an upper longitudinal flange 8l, pro vided with slots (38 for receiving clamping bolts to hold abutting cage sections together. A similar longitudinal flange 35i, having slots 9i, is formed at the lower part of each section. Flanges 8l and 89 are joined by arcuate ribs 92 spaced apart to provide openings 92' therebetween, through which openings iiuid can escape.

aisance The ribs t2 are rcenforced intermediate their ends, by cross ribs which all lie in the saine plane and actually provide a reenlorcing flange @t en tending the length oi the section As can be seen more clearly in Figs. 13, ld and 26, each cage section has both ends terminating in an emerged abutment flange St, each end ci which is pro= vided with a fastening bolt receiving aperture 9b, and is formed with a vertical slot @l having an inwardly slanting side.

In securing the cage sections on the feed heusing, each section is positioned with a ange t thereof abutting a boss i3 on the feed housing: and a fastening screw et islas. 2, i and 5) is passed through lower aperture to in ilange dit and into threaded aperture @il in the iced housing. The cage section can, thus, swing about screw et as a pivot. When the two cage sections are properly positioned, screws iti are passed through upper apertures @d of the cage section .flanges tit, and are screwed into upper threaded apertures |02 in the feed housing. An endwise positionable locking bar it@ (Fig. 27) is placed in the passage, formed by feed housing slot dit and by adjacent cage section slots @'i, to thus hold the cage sections in position; the cross section of the locking bar being the same as that ol the passage. Screws it and iti are usually cinched up tightly, to provide a rigid mounting, although the upper screws itl are not absolutely necessary, as the locking bars it will hold the assembly.

The manner of mounting the cage sections llt on discharge end casting E (Fig. 2) is exactly the same as that described for the feed housing casting; consequently, it need not bevdescribed in detail. The same reference characters are applied to parts of the discharge end casting cage mounting, as are applied to the iced housing cage mounting.

Each cage section (Figs. i9 and 22) supports a knife bar itt, a retainer bar itil, and a semicylindrical screen har assembly tot held between a knife bar and a retainer har. `with particular reference to Figs. it, 15, 2d and 223, it will be noted that a longitudinally entending slot or notch itt open sidewardly and inwardly, is formed in danses tl and of each cage section; each notch being adapted 'to receive snugly a bar itil or itt. When the screen bars oi an assembly itl are laid in a cage section, they are rigidly clamped between lrniie bar itt and retainer bar lut, both of which bars are rigidly secured to flanges fil and te, respectively, by fastening screws ltd. Special types of screen bars are, preferably, employed and they will subsequently be described. Unlike the retainer bars itt, which have both their upper and lower edges straight, knife bars itil have a plurality oi.' spaced projections i l i whichnooperate with screw dichte on the main press screw, in a manner which will be later described.

As can be observed more clearly from Figs. 2d and 25, a knife bar itt is mounted at each junction of the cage sections to provide a pair oi. oopositely disposed knife bars.

When the cage sections t@ have the desired bars mounted rigidly therein, they are supported in the marmer previously described, with the addition of clamping bolts M2 and lib which dt in the open ended slots 8B and 9i of each cage section. To facilitate positioning oi' the clamping bolts H2, a carrier lili (Figs. 17 and lo) for a plurality of bolts is provided. The bolts are loosely mounted in the carrier, which supports the bolts in the same spaced relationship es esiste between slots tt and ill; so that the bolts can be readily placed in position and cinched up by nuts till. All the bolts, except one bolt lit inter mediate the ends of the cage sections and at both the ton and bottom oi the cage, are thus mount-s ed on carriers. The intermediate bolts llt provide means for holding the cage sections 86 together when they are first assembled prior to positioning of bolts lit, and tightening of screws @t and iti. With reference to Fig. l, it will be noted that every other bolt is reversely positioned, so that nuts and heads will be on both. sides of the press, which arrangement expedites tightening or loosening of the nuts because two workmen may be employed for these operations at the same time without interfering with each other, one workman at each side of the press. To conserve space without sacriiice of strength, the heads of the bolts may be made smaller than the nuts.

The described mounting of the cage sections permits rapid disconnection thereof when it is desired to remove screen bar assemblies l'i for cleaning or repair. ln this event, bolts H2 are loosened and removed by the carriers llt, the two bolts iid are removed, upper screws lOl are removed and lower screws lit are slightly loosened. Thus, the cage sections can be swung apart on lower screws 9B as pivots; and as can be observed from Fig. to, the locking bars lill will allow such pivotal swinging inasmuch as they merely lock the cage sections against endwise displacement.

In connection with the cinching up oi bolts l i2 and dit and with particular reference to Figs. 14, l5, 2d and 25, it will be observed that each of bars itt and lilo, is slightly thicker than the depth o notch itil in which the bei' seats. Consequent-ly, when the cage sections are clamped together, a space ill obtains between flanges 8l and also between anges llt. Such space is indicated diagrammaticaiiy by the vertical broken lines in Figs. le and l5, each of which broken lines designates the vertical center plane of the cage assembly. Because of the provision of the spaces ill, pressure can be concentrated on bars itil and tilt to provide an extremely rigid mountfing therefor, which is desirable because of the tremendous stresses imposed upon the knife bars it, caused by impact of material which the main press screw tends to rotate.

Fluid which the screw means in the main press causes to be pressed out of the material, ows through the screen bar assemblies lill; and in order to have unimpeded flow of the fluid, the cage sections it are of such construction as to provide for unobstruction of the screen bar assemblies at all locations, except where the assemblies contact the arcuate ribs 92. This is accomplishcd (Figs. l5, lo and 24) by having the inner sides llt of the longitudinally extending reenorcng anges llt spaced from the inner sides of ribs 2, in the spaces or openings 92 between ribs 92. Consequently, flanges 93 cannot block the dow of uid. Also, it 'will be noted that idanges ti and E9 of each cage section have their inner sides il@ slanting toward the outside of the cage from a position spaced (indicated at i2 l Fig. l5) from the inner sides of ribs t2. As a result, there exists an unobstructed space closely adjacent each half ci the cage assembly, from a knife bar tilt to a retainer bar i136.

Screen bar construction Each screen bar H22 (Figs. 20, 22 and 23), in each semi-cylindrical screen bar assembly i'i, has both sides thereof tapered inwardly at its i59 with sleeve wil, similar to the overlapping joint between sleeves it@ and itt. The opposite end of sleeve 37 is mounted on splines itil and overlaps sleeve 33 to provide an overlapping joint; the sleeve 38 being mounted, at the feed end, on splines H32 (Figs. 29 and 33), which splines E62 are adjacent enlarged cylindrical por tion ili on shaft ll.

Because of the overlapped joints between the screw flight sleeves i3d, itt, etc., leakage past the joints is prevented. With the usual joints, heretofore employed in the art, wherein dat vertical faces were abutted together, oil and meal would be forced between the sleeve sections; and upon hardening of the meal, it became impossible to remove the sleeves without using great forces. such as sledge hammers, hydraulic presses, etc. Furthermore, our type of joint allows for proper expansion and contraction of the sleeves under the influence of changes of temperature; while at the same time maintaining a leak prooi connection between sleeves.

The provision of the splines on the main shaft for mounting the screw ,Eight sleeves enables a minimum diameter shaft for the obtaining of maximum strength. Also, it enables the screw night sleeves to carry a part ci the torsional forces imposed upon the rotatable main screw shaft assembly, thus making ior a construction adapted to withstand high pressure.

With particular reference to Figs. 29 and 36, the feed end of the main press screw assembly will now be described. Upon the cylindrical portion |63 of the shaft is journaled bearing sleeve tot which has an overlapped joint engagement with sleeve i138, as indicated at it. Spaced portions I8? and ld of sleeve itil are joui-nailed, respete tively, in spaced Walls 3l and Bil ci the iced housing casting 3; and in the portion itil are formed grooves itil, to prevent escape oi' .lubricant to the feed housing. A packing lil in groove 36 (Figs. :i and 5) engages bearing portion lull. in the space between portions it? and ltd, are formed radial passages ll l which lead into the space or opening 3 between. walls 3l and 3ft. The bearing sleeve itt extends weil into bearing housing 3s which has the lubricant introduction passage W2; and end thrust is taken up by end thrust bearing H3, located between an end of sleeve it@ and a bearing cap llt removably secured to bearing housing Zit.

From the preceding description, it will be apparent that lubricant introduced into bearing housing 33 cannot escape into the press, to contaminate the material in the press, because radial passages lli' and opening 3Q provide ior drainage of lubricant before it reaches the press. Conversely, no oil or material can escape from A the press to cause jamming of the bearing.

The feed end 33 (Fig. 29) of main shaft lli!! has a longitudinal passage lltl extending therethrough for escape of cooling uid (preferably water which is circulated through the entire main l tudlnal iuid passage W3 in shaft l 3l.

ing provided in shaft itl so as to oommunicate with passage llt. Ring llt, secured to splines l@ at the end of shaft itl, has an inner annular groove itl, communicating with radial passages ilo in the main shaft and with radial passages ist in the ring. Ring llt is rotatable with shaft itl; and a stationary collecting ring it@ about ring il@ provides for nal escape of the cooling water through pipe i3d, which, if water ls scarce, can be connected to a water cooler (not shown), enabling reuse of the water. The drive (Fig. 29) for the main shaft lill is by means of semi-universal coupling @llt having a key connection im with sleeve i3@ secured to prime mover shaft itil; a similar key connection being provided between the coupling and ring l'l.

As was previously set forth, end thrust bearing H3 is provided; such bearing taires up the end thrust exerted toward the feed end of the main shaft during operation of the press, and is under compression during such operation. Consequently, the thrust bearing l'l prevents endwise shifting of the main shaft toward the feed end. To preclude endwise shifting ci the main shaft toward the discharge end, a removably secured looking ring lill, comprising two half rings clamped on the main shaft, is positioned between bearing cap lili and ring i719.

Cooling duid (Figs. 28 and 34) is introduced through the discharge end E32 of the main shaft ll, by means of feed pipe ridi which projects into the main shaft and communicates with longi- Ppc E92 is stationary and is held in position by lock nut ist, which is screwed into the discharge end of the main shaft and is journaled about pipe |92. Passage H93 leads into radial passages H96 (Figs. 28, 3i, 35 and 37), located past therst set of main shaft splines lili and which communicate with the space between sleeve lill and the main sha-ft. Because of contact of cooling fluid with internal cooling fins or threads 639 on the sleeve lt, heat is rapidly conducted to edect ecacious cooling, not only of the sleeve l 35i and screw nights i3d and i3d", lout of the material in contact therewith.

From the space between sleeve i363 and shaft ist, the cooling fluid is conducted into the space between the adjacent sleeve itil and the shaft (Figs. 35 and 37), by means of alinecl passages itl' formed in the abutting internal splines ist on sleeves i3d and 36; the splines i538 being rigidly lnterengaged with the shaft splines Mt as previously explained. The same construction in the sleeve splines, is employed for conducting the cooling fluid all along the main shaft, until it enters the space between the feed end sleeve litt (Fig. 29) and the main shaft ll. From the latter space, cooling uid enters radial passages its which lead into the cooling discharge passage l'l previously described. Thus, cooling huid is circulated through and along the entire main shaft and screw assembly. The functional eiiect of the cooling fluid. on the material will be subsequently explained.

With reference to Figs. 2, 28 and 31, the manner of discharge of material from the press and the journaling of the discharge end of the main press screw assembly will now be described. On the outer end of discharge casting 2, is secured an arcuate bracket 2RM having integral there with arms 2&2 terminating in a large bearing 203, which provides the discharge enel journal for the main press screw assembly. Journaled in bearing is a sleeve 2li@ which is splined for axially Eli iid 

